Conventionally, a printer, a copier, and a facsimile have been generally provided as discrete devices. Recently, there is known an image formation apparatus in which functions of the above-mentioned devices are accommodated into one cabinet (hereafter called “multifunction machine”).
This multifunction machine has a display section, printing section, and an image pickup section within one cabinet, and also has software corresponding to a printer, copier, and a facsimile device. Switching the software allows the machine to operate as the printer, copier, or the facsimile device.
If such a multifunction machine is available, the cost and space can be in total reduced, because, there is no need to separately provide the printer, the copier, and the facsimile device.
However, such multifunction machines are generally delivered to a client after pre-installing desired softwares that perform predetermined functions. Therefore, the important matter is how to adequately update the existing functions or add new functions after the multifunction machine has been delivered.
For example, when a technology of downloading software from a server through a network and executing it on a multifunction machine is employed, it is necessary to avoid downloading of malicious software from an unauthorized server and to refuse an access request to software from an unauthorized terminal that impersonates an authorized multifunction machine.
Even if a copier is authorized, it is not appropriate to permit the copier to execute any functions other than functions previously contracted. Further, even if the functions are previously contracted, it is not worth downloading the functions (software) if they are useless from the viewpoint of a hardware configuration of the copier Based on these facts, it is important to legitimately and efficiently acquire and execute software adequate for a multifunction machine after the multifunction machine is activated.